The Chakan factory of Bajaj Auto in Pune, which witnessed a 50-day closure in June 2013, is bracing for another bout of trouble as the same worker’s union has given an indefinite strike call from April 28, 2014.
The union, Vishwa Kalyan Kamgar Sanghatana (VKKS), is headed by Dilip Pawar, and has about 850 members affiliated to it out of the 1,300 workers at the Chakan factory.
Bajaj rolls out its premium bikes, such as the Pulsar, Avenger and KTM, from the Chakan plant.
The union’s demands include a wage hike and the allotment of 500 Bajaj Auto shares to all permanent employees at Rs. 10 per share. (The company’s shares closed at Rs. 2,013.4 on the BSE on Thursday).
Talking to this correspondent, Dilip Pawar of VKKS said, “we want them to implement the CSR activity, and spend 1 per cent on the Adivasis and 1 per cent on the welfare of the worker’s children. We want them to set up a Jamnalal Bajaj Museum in the Chakan premises.”
The wage hike issue is pending before the Bombay High Court. “We can move production to our other plants as we almost did the last time around,” Kailash Zanzari, Vice-President (Manufacturing), BAL, told this correspondent. Last year, the management took a hard stance and threatened to move production from the Chakan plant to other Bajaj factories in Waluj and Pantnagar if the workers did not resume duties.
